


I Will Be Here For You

by Wintercameandwent



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Loving Marriage, Married Couple, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Religious Cults-mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:02:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23975695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wintercameandwent/pseuds/Wintercameandwent
Summary: Shown through a single snapshot of their life, Sansa and Jon practiced the"for better or for worse"part of their vows today.
Relationships: Jon Snow/Sansa Stark
Comments: 8
Kudos: 36





	I Will Be Here For You

**Author's Note:**

> So I could not sleep and thought maybe a little no-pressure creative writing might help, and this is what came out. Probably not the Jonsa people were hoping to read, but they are creeping out of my subconscious. I thought to play with the idea that Sansa "can't keep a secret or plays the game" and therefore is comfortable with deception--a supposed total 180 from Jon's character. 
> 
> This is my first modern-AU, so please be gentle.

_5:55 AM_

Blinking in blue was a light that greeted her when she opened her eyes that morning. It was a good sleep. The kind where your body is wrapped in a warm blanket and your form settles into a position that remains static until you awaken and move with intention. Right now, her eyes are just blinking slowly at the alarm clock beside her bed. Sansa Stark smiles as she thinks such a device is pretty much a relic of a bygone era, while she tends to plug her iPhone into its docking station and away she goes. This alarm clock, though, is a practical tool, very much like the current owner of it. 

Carefully she wiggles her toes and feels her body returning to awareness--an awareness that tells her she should get out of the warm haven of her bed. Her other senses begin to make themselves noticeable. The morning light is gently making an appearance through her curtain from across the bedroom. The apartment is silent. A wonderful scent of Dornish blond roast coffee is floating into the room, alerting her that the coffee maker must be towards the end of its process--thank the Gods, old and new, for she could almost taste it. 

Sansa also felt that at that moment, she was alone. The physical absence of her husband was palpable. No solid frame against hers, no strong arms pulling her close, no scratchy beard nuzzled against her long neck. All the clues that told her he was gone crept up slowly as her mind and body began to merge into full consciousness. 

Her body felt less weighted than it did 4 minutes before allowing her to extend her long arm to hit the off button on the alarm clock at 5:59.

Sansa fell onto her back. She put one hand behind her head and reached out to find her phone next to her, where her husband was supposed to be. Lifting the device, she sees a message bubble from her brother-in-law. 

A small smile begins to grow on her face. In a flash, last night festivities just flooded through her mind. She thought she was going on a private dinner between her and her spouse, but instead, it turned into a _good luck on your new job party._ Sadly Aegon and his wife were missed, but all understood that their absence was for a beautiful cause. Aeg and Reenie were two of her closest friends, and she was well aware of their difficulty with getting pregnant. Her nieces are a blessing, and even though he playfully blusters, Sansa can see Aegon's joy. 

Swiping her keyboard up, she begins to type in a response. 

She doesn't expect a quick response since Aeg or Reenie are often busy with caring for the babies or sleeping, so she was slightly startled to hear her messenger chime with a reply. 

Sansa shook her head and decided that the smell of the coffee indicated that it was ready for her consumption. Her second favorite drug of choice after her husband. Pushing her warm down comforter away, she slipped her feet into her slippers as she put on her Yoda robe--a gag gift from her brother Bran for her last birthday. There was a bit of a chill in the air. She lifts the hood over her head before making her way to the kitchen. Seeing her favorite cup near the coffee maker made her smile. It looks like her husband thought to leave it out for her before he left. A task she usually does for herself the night before, but last night her man kept her very distracted when they returned home from dinner. 

Pouring herself a large cup of her favorite kind of coffee, she leans against the counter. The weightiness of the mug, the warmth of the brown liquid seeping through slowly, brings her back to the real world of the living. Bowing her head to meet the rim of her cup, she takes a reverential sip. The burst of flavor combined with the right amount of heat--it was like ambrosia. She is thanking the nameless someone who stumbled upon coffee beans and the coffee-making process. While not a cup of french press, this serves its duty well, considering its the first cup of the day. 

Sansa thinks about her present mindset and sends Aegon another message. 

After refilling her cup, she walks over to her "office" and starts up her computer. While not a teacher like Reenie, Sansa is a creature of habit in her way, and she begins her day with coffee and emails. 

She sits like a pretzel on the chair as she enjoys her morning beverage as the laptop cues up. As she is waiting, she notices a post-it on the cup she uses to hold her favorite pens and markers. As a writer, she finds that writing her thoughts down on paper can help her process along--especially when a deadline nears. Her husband enjoys teasing her about using archaic tools when advanced technology would do a better job, but then she reminds him of his alarm clock. A snicker breaks through as she reaches for the note. 

__

_"Hey Babe,_

__

__

_By now, you're probably way into your second cup of coffee, and I am sure my brother has already tried to take credit for the DBR. Let there be no confusion; the idea was all mine._

__

__

_I wish I could be there with you this morning, but as you know, I'm back on morning shifts for the next two weeks. Eat the breakfast I left in the fridge and send me a pic of you in your power suit, you know what they do to me, hmmm...on second thought maybe not I will be at work._

_I know you're nervous, San, but you shouldn't be. You've worked hard and earned this opportunity. Let no one tell you differently. Follow the intuition that has brought you this far. It hasn't let you down, so continue to trust in it. I know I do--because I trust you with the most vital parts of me._

_Call me if you need me. I know I am on duty, but I left word with El, so ring me if you must, and she'll patch you through._

_I love you, San. Kick some ass and take some names, Baby._

_-Jon"_

Sansa's eyes drift away from the note to the small framed picture of the man who is front and center in her mind at this moment. Jon Stark. She's known her husband most all her life as he and her brother are best friends, and their grandfathers were cousins once or twice removed. Growing up in the small city of Winterfell, where the name Stark is a common one, it made many of their Southern friends laugh when they realized that Sansa never had to consider taking her husband's name. Over the years, she's found herself at a loss to give her two sense on that topic when it arose as her closest friends began to marry. 

Her husband knew the personal cost of her career and her decision to stand by it, cultivate it when sometimes her family and friends didn't understand the whys of what she does. Now she is about two hours away from living a deeply held goal. Sansa rubs her thumb against her husband's name and catches a small little arrow indicating that she should turn the paper. Sure enough, he had more to say.

_BTW, I have the dogs with me today, so there's no need for you to pick them up at daycare._

_Love you..._

Smiling at the added message, Sansa was glad that taking their two Northern Siberian huskies to doggy daycare was off her list this morning, but she figured they were gone considering they hadn't come to her to say hello. 

Sansa once again thought about her husband and found herself saying a little prayer to the gods she wasn't sure existed and thanked the cosmos that she found a man that was good and strong--and who loved her just as she was. While she knows she does not need Jon to make her whole, Sansa loves being with him, and she cherishes the opportunity to have that with him. Her past relationships hadn't given her the best impression of men or relationships. 

They had been friends of a kind for so long. When she moved to Gulltown for university at eighteen, and he had just graduated from Hardhome University and relocated to the city as well for his graduate studies. At first, she thought he was trying to fill Robb's big brother role, but over time that description didn't feel right. Oddly enough, they came together almost a decade later when she and Jon found themselves swearing off relationships as a New Years' resolution. They swore to take their renewed energies and on focusing on themselves. 

It had taken her three months to force herself to recognize what she had refused to acknowledge for eight years. Sansa Stark had fallen in love with Jon Stark. It took another three months for her to resolve that Jon reciprocated those feelings. Six months after that, they were married and have been for the last four years. 

It hasn't been easy merging to lives together--his career and hers, figuring out how to be them and what that united front looks like, family expectation, his complicated past, and her insecurities courtesy of her previous boyfriends. They have built their lives committed to one another. Each day that foundation is reinforced, and that love intensifies. 

Having a larger living space where they have their own corner helps as well. They lucked out when they found their two-bedroom apartment in a two-family house when they moved to White Harbor last year. The upper unit is usually empty as their landlord and his wife typically spend time with their son's family in the South during the colder seasons. The large yard, on-street parking, and the added space of a half-basement made this place a steal.

Sansa runs to refill up her cup once again and then begins to tackle her emails. Mom, Dad, Robb, Arya, Reenie, and Mr. Davos Seaworth. Her eyes quickly selected Seaworth's message. He was her new boss and, therefore, a priority. She'll message her family later after her day began, and she had something worthwhile to share. 

As her eyes quickly scan the letter, she notices that there is an emergency meeting this morning at 8:00 am, and her attendance is required. She checks the time it's only 6:40 am. Reaching over to check her phone, Sansa notices a message from Seaworth at 2:00 am. She alters her settings to make sure his calls get past her _"do not disturb"_ settings. The last thing she needs is to miss an important call or message. Shutting down her comp, she slips it into her bag and runs into her bathroom to truly start the day. 

Sansa makes it to the office a little after 7:30 am, and Mr. Seaworth meets her. She is trying to keep her fan-crush in control. As the Editor-in-Chief of Spotlight, he is what she wants to one day become--well one day in the far distant future. [1] As people start to file into the small office, he begins to introduce her to the other investigative journalist that comprise this elite team for this well-known newspaper...The White Harbor Globe. The unit that brought to light the abuses in the Lord of Light Church. A team of which she is now a member. 

As she sits at her new desk, she begins to make some notations on how to start her research. The case placed before them was regarding a conspiracy to suppress the knowledge that the Mander River was being used as a dumpsite for the Lion Twins development company. It seemed as though the informant was a woman who married into the Lannister family, and as the owners of the company in question, revealed their illegal practice, she took issue with the act. 

Secrets, lies--intentional or by omission, surprise revelations, public loss and the human cost--these were issues that her husband found challenging to understand about her and what it means to be an investigative journalist. The ease she seems to have with deception even in the face of the fallout. While she knows these attributes go outside of his wheelhouse and the why of it, she knows that he is proud of the work she does because, in the end, it is for the greater good. It's for those who feel like they have no voice. She champions for those who don't know how or can't advocate for themselves, and other times she is willing to put herself out there to stand with the people who are brave enough to confront a broken system that has failed them time and time again. In that regard they aren't very different, she thinks.

"Plan on going home tonight? It is your first day, you know. You have many long nights in your future, but then you know that already."

Pulled away from her thoughts on some formative research she had begun, Sansa looked up to see Seaworth's leaning over her cubicle wall. The older man weathered face sending her a sly smirk. Sansa smiles in return. She stretches her arms, extends her back before resting them on the back of her head as she reclines her chair to get a good look at her boss.

"I guess the same could be said to you. Well, at least the late-night would apply." 

Sansa glances at the time on her computer--9:42 pm. Her heart skips a beat. She was so lost in thought that she hadn't messaged Jon since she had lunch around midday.

"Well, my wife is used to it, I suppose. I guess your husband is as well. You've spent more than your fair share of years doing fantastic work for The Valeman." [2]

"Hmmm...I'd say Jon is more understanding than I would say used to. Perhaps resigned might even be a better word." Her pursed-lip and raised brows made Seaworth laugh loudly in the small outer office. 

"Sounds like a good man."

"One of the best I've ever known, but you're right. I need to get home."

"Need some company as you walk to your car?"

"No, that's not necessary. I took an uber. I don't live far. Thank you, though. Have a good night."

"Same to you, Stark."

Sansa stood up and waved the older man off and began to gather her things to pack herself while ordering a car on her phone. See that her ride was on its way in 3 minutes; she made her way downstairs. Once in the car, she swiped the screen to find her Whatsapp icon. 

Hopping out of the car, Sansa walked up the stairs of her porch. Entering the apartment and disarmed the house alarm. Dropping her bag on her "office" desk, Sansa began to take off her jewelry as she walked into her bedroom. She took no time at all to pull her work clothes off and slip on a baby blue short cotton nightgown. Walking into the bathroom, she quickly lathered her face in lotion and began to remove whatever make-up still remained on her face. She then began to wash her face. As she was rinsing the cleanser off her face, Sansa could hear Jon and the dogs coming in. 

"Hey, Ghost, Lady! No barking." His commanding voice rang out. He made this clicking sound, and the dogs quieted down as they ran into their bedroom. 

Sansa quickly dried her face and patted down some moisturizer before greeting her family. 

"Hey!" The dogs attempted to move to her. Jon made the clicking sound again. Ghost and Lady remained in their seated position, both poised to come to her once their alpha permitted them. Leaning over, Sansa pressed her lips against her husband's. The warm press of his lips against hers always held the hint of wonder just like their first kiss. How she loved this man, she thought. 

Reaching for the box of pizza and the six-pack of ale, Sansa unloaded her husband and sent him towards their bedroom with a hip bump. 

"Go shower. I'll put the pizza in the oven and the ale in the fridge. Besides, I need to spoil my babies since you had them all day."

"Pfft. _Your babies_ have not been lacking for attention. El's in town this week, so you know what that means."

"Lots of loving." Sansa smiled widely, knowing her husband's response would be colorful. 

Jon scoffed. "Otherwise known as no direction, boundaries, or consequences. It amazes me that she takes no shit from most but give her a dog or two, and the woman loses all sense."

Sansa's laugh carried as she walked towards the kitchen. "What can I say? Our babies have a certain magnetism."

"And on that note, I am done. The shower is calling my name."

Sansa chuckled at his silliness. As she put the pizza in the oven and the drinks in the fridge, she got the dogs settled with their own meals and thought about El or rather Elia Martell--once Targaryen and mother to Jon's half-siblings. Sansa has always liked the woman, but she knows that the public figure that Elia Martell is now and the acceptance of Jon into her world wasn't an easy one and nor was is a private adjustment. 

The whole world had eyes on the woman who was once the first and only wife of Reverend Rhaegar Targaryen--a well-known and wealthy "man of God." His congregation was large and growing, and by his side was his faithful wife. Then one day, the good Reverend was given a prophecy to fulfill, which was to populate the earth with the savior Prince or Princess that was promised. This led to the discovery of him approving the second marriage to Jon's mother without terminating the first. 

The scandal that ensued was an absolute mess. Elia had been visiting family in Dorne when the new broke, but her children had been in Rhaegar's compound. It took her almost two years to get her children back. In that time, Jon's grandfather was trying to get his daughter back--an impressionable 15 and a half-year-old girl. Once the courts went through their slow channels, Elia's children were returned to her, as was Jon's mother to her father. In tow, she came with a year-old babe, and once she turned 18, she left Winterfell with Jon and returned to Rhaegar and the church. She was now seen as his official wife since Elia had since divorced the Reverend.

Years later, when Jon was ten years old, he ran away to Dorne when his half-siblings were leaving after visiting their father, as per the court agreement stated. He had hoped that Rhaenys and Aegon could help him, and they had. Elia had contacted Rickard, and with the money and family influence of the Starks and with some help from the Martells, Jon was finally able to live with his grandfather. 

It had taken three years, but he escaped the toxicity of what has since been labeled a cult, aka The Prince that was Promised Church, but there are traumas for him and Elia that binds them in some warped fraternity no one wants to be a member of. It's those other similarly linked members that Jon, Elia, and his siblings work to help. Jon does his part as a psychiatrist that specialized in traumas associated with cults or systematic abuse and programmed behaviors.

Running her long fingers through the ruffs of her dogs, she stands up to get a bottle of ale from the fridge. Sansa hops on the island in the center of the kitchen and takes a sip of her drink. She thinks about her day and what she needs to do tomorrow when she hears Jon coming through the dining room and into the kitchen. 

Her eyes took in the quiet beauty of her husband. He hates when she draws attention to it, for he was teased endlessly when they were younger about how "pretty" he looked. While she can admit he is attractive to look at, he is also gentle, kind, thoughtful, protective, fierce, and generous. Those traits are what made her husband's beauty-but then he doesn't want to hear that either—a man of many contradictions, but contradictions she understood.

Jon walked into the kitchen, wearing lounge shorts and a smile. Those arms, that carved chest, that tapered V with a dusting of hair at his navel; it made Sansa's mouth water. 

"Hungry, Babe?"

Sansa took another sip to avoid answering that question. By the exhausted look in Jon's eyes, she knew her husband shouldn't be on tonight's menu. When he's like this, Sansa knows he needs quiet and calm comfort. He needs space to manage his emotions, and though he has never asked her to quiet her own, she does so willingly in her love for him. She wants to be his quiet place when the storms of the world can be a bit too burdensome. 

"Just a little." She gestures for him to come to her, and he does. Passing her bottle to him, Jon takes a long pull. He puts the drink down beside her before he steps in between her legs and wraps his arms around her waist. Resting his head on her shoulder, Sansa can hear and feel Jon breathing her in. That act is one she understands for the scent of Jon grounds her too. She pushes back his curly hair with one hand and leans down to kiss his forehead. 

Pulling away to look him in the eyes, she asked, "May I have this dance?"

"A dance?" He questions. His eyes study her suspiciously since dancing is not a preferred activity of Mr. Stark. 

"Yes." Sliding off the counter, Sansa cues a song to play through the Bluetooth speakers in their kitchen. The gentle, familiar melody floats around them, and it causes her husband to smile tenderly at her. Sansa takes that as her signal and pulls Jon's towards her. They embrace and sway to the music.

_When you feel the sunlight  
Fade into the cold night..._

Sansa pulls him flush against her body. 

_Let me in your world  
Baby, let me in your world_

Jon's lips nuzzle her jaw.

_I will be here for you  
Somewhere in the night  
I'll shine a light for you  
Somewhere in the night_

Sansa cups his face gently as she rests her forehead against his. Their bodies are still keeping tempo as they move together around the island. 

_In this world of strangers  
Of cold and friendly faces_

Jon's warm lips begin to deliver kisses down her neck and over her shoulder--nosing her strap off, baring her shoulder to him for his attention.

_I will be your shelter  
I'll give you my shoulder  
Just reach out for my love  
Reach out for my love_

Sansa's hand splay across his back. She feels the muscles move in tandem to the rhythm of their dance. A skill he doubts his ability to do well, but Sansa knows just how well Jon Stark can move.

_Call my name and my heart will hear  
I will be there, there's nothing to fear_

Jon's fingers make their way into her long red hair. He grips her head to steady it just so, allowing his lips to claim hers with a tenderness that brought an unexpected burn of tears against her lids. 

_I will be here for you  
Somewhere in the night…_

They stay this way for about five minutes, neither one wanting to part, but their stomachs feel differently. The growling call of hunger rang out simultaneously, making them laugh with each other. 

"I'll get the pizza, and you get the plates and the beer," Jon asked softly. With a nod, Sansa pushed herself away from her husband and set out to get ready for dinner. 

They made quick work of their meal, devouring the pie while their fingers sought gentle touches and entanglements. Once they were done, Jon tended to the dogs and set the alarms while Sansa cleaned up the remanents of dinner, put out the recycling for tomorrow's pick up, and set the coffee-maker for the morning, while setting out two mugs on the counter.

Making her way to their shared bathroom, she can see Jon is almost done brushing his teeth. She pulls her toothbrush out of the cup and begins to paste the bristles before she starts her evening routine. Once she's ready for bed, she finds Jon already in bed. His dark unruly curls a sharp contrast to the whiteness of the pillowcase. He stretches out his hand, and she reaches for it as she climbs up on their bed. She makes one last inspection to see that her phone is in the docking station and that his alarm is set for 6:00 am before she lays down and snuggles against him. They're in her favorite position. Her head down on his chest, arm slung across his waist, and a long leg claiming one of his—Jon's hand in her hair, the other holding her hand. 

"I love you, Jon Stark. You know this, right?" Sansa's quiet voice breaks the silence between them. 

She can hear the smile in his voice and cleansing breath that tells her his mind is here with her and not on the horrors of his day. A day she knows he can't talk about for he takes his oath of doctor-patient privilege seriously. Without knowing the particulars, Sansa follows her intuition and gives into the imperative need to reassure her husband that he is loved. No matter what terrors come his way, Jon Stark will find a haven and love with her. 

"I do. I love you, Sansa Stark--every day..." He replied. 

"...in every way." She finished. 

They held each other a little bit tighter that night as they were lulled to sleep by their synchronized breaths. Both surrendered to slumber as their bodies unconsciously sought comfort from each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes:  
> [1] The Spotlight Team is a group of investigative journalists that work for The Boston Globe. They brought attention to the Catholic Church's pattern of cover-up child abuse in the Boston Diocese. Their job is literally to uncover secrets influential individuals and organizations would like to keep hidden and ignored.
> 
> [2] The Valeman is equivalent to the UK's The Guardian newspaper. It is rated as one of the top, if not the number 1 trusted newspaper in the UK.
> 
> [3] The title and song, _I will be here for you_ , comes from Micheal W. Smith.
> 
> Since I am returning to grad school next month, I will be busy, but if you're interested, I thought this couple might be fun to explore occasionally when time permits. A more "period" Jonsa story is mapped out, but if you've read my other stories, they are pretty detailed, and unfortunately, I do not think I have the time to commit to such an undertaking at this moment. I will whittle away at that fic in secret until its ready...but that will not be for a long while :P


End file.
